Why we keep running on takeoff

When we brief students for takeoff with us, we give them two “golden rules”. Rule 1 is try to stay on your feet, and rule 2 is when the instructor says “run!”, run and keep running. Even after your feet leave the ground, it’s best to keep running in mid air for a few seconds. This video shows why: sometimes we get lifted off, only to touch down again. If you’ve stopped running, everyone falls over and you’re unlikely to get airborne. If you keep running, you get to feel like a cartoon character running off a cliff, except you don’t fall!